He was at it
again
at the
well-oiled hinge between pathetic and
self-loathing
as was every born again
No Not that
he was born-again to ample breasts
even if discretely cloaked
he could see through clothing
and if they were nearly radiantly exposed begging
teasing
they were throwing a dog a bone
this afternoon under no apparent art he hadnt any art
he wasnt a leerer
though maybe it would befall him when he grew into a full
blown man
he had simply
an uncanny knack
a tender way of being in the right place at
the right time
exactly the right time
if you asked him hed tell you he was hounded by it
hed tell you if one had to be hounded by
any of the
varieties of hounds he couldnt have
chosen a better hound for howling
typically he was graceful there was a warmed suspended moment
then hed
lift his eyes innocuously damn near shy
and hardly anyone was ever worse for wear
he was so mild even the phantom usually associated with that
chill which piqued her suddenly stood
her up erect was nearly benign
as
she modestly placed her hand like a fan to her chest or fumbled with the neck
of her blouse drawing it together in her
small fist while her eyes swept around in
search of where the draft
had come
but hed mastered the currents
devising
cerebral queues to deflect the rush or gasp that might otherwise stand him accused
their eyes rarely ever
turned in his direction
they
often fell on those whose expressions arrested them or inspired their suspicion
the ensuing fallouts
were either
given over to mawkish drama or comedic relief
and more than one Innocent-this-Time took a
balling out or a brisk slap on the cheek or
the shrill retort Masher!
he wasnt a maker of distemper or
crime or destined to return to the scene of it
but oddly when the ball rolled in that direction he was
a slave to witness its results
Survey Says!
Really did anyone take such surveys
they ought to
if for nothing more than its
entertainment value
Gawd
knows this bungling Statecraft suspended overhead lurched whichever way the
wind blew
but something
there was something different
this time
something had gone awry
it wasnt the same
First Off
Comon
who
went grocery shopping dressed like that
she reminded him of Red Devil fishing lures he cast as a kid into
Midwestern freshwater lakes
in the aisle a narrow reef under
the cool blue lighting the Frozen Food section hed lay money
she looked to him
now as those lures did then to the trout perch and bass
whos fooling who said the spider to the fly
Whos the spider
Whos the fly
admittedly
she was both-eyes full
not just an eyeful
bent over at
the hips comparing held in either hand tubs of competing brands of ricotta
red and white tubs
she
wore a red tight knit sweater sporting a
plunging neckline
an
adherent he surmised of wearing clothes to accentuate ones physique
why it was that Lazaruss huddled masses yearning to be free chimed in his ears
was of small interest
he figured he was amusing himself
again
she held her pose
her eyes fixed
on the
small print to discern the difference he assumed of the contents in the tubs
they
divined her suspended pose
and he almost fell in between them
he torqued his head around
hed committed a lingering glance
not his style
she was blowing his cover
looking back
again
she held her pose
her
eyes fixed
he wondered if she wasnt daring him
he
was keenly aware that they were the only two in the aisle
she was the only
one shopping
he
was using the aisle as a shortcut to the bakery at the rear
Of all the gin joints in all the
towns in all the world she walked into
his
tenderly being
in the right place at the right time
now he was the one who was absent
head
averred unable to see see through the sheen of the freezer glass or
look behind it
the checkered tile floor dully reflecting off it into his
eyes
some kind of reverie
returning
he ahh
remembered her and glanced
she was looking at him
Yes he said
Excuse me
you looked distracted
Distracted is my best look You ought to catch a glimpse of my prickish resting
face
I prefer prickish to a
bitchy resting face Quit maligning
women ya know
I do Youre amusing
And I do it without trying
looking at her he puzzled his forehead Was
there something I could help you with
Are you familiar with ricotta
cheese brands
she stood there with them still in either hand
I am Theres a third variety but you havent a third hand huh
Actually not a third hand but the tubs are cold and
it might look a little strange
I like strange
she burst into laughter
Then youd enjoy it
I would
he
looked directly at her breasts
then
lifted his eyes to her face
Though youll excuse me if I say so its unlikely you have room for a tub
she laughed out loud
You have a point there
she had an attractive face
particularly as she smiled tho everyone
does under a bobbypinned mop of auburn hair
hedging closer towards red
a few defiant strands drifted down into her eyes
Galbanis whole milk ricotta is my
bet
it was in her left hand bringing it up to her face the sweaters neck
relaxed
he
didnt
Galbanis
Yup Take it from a stranger who likes strange
she laughed
again
whatever he considered Second Off
was no longer in his head
he still catches himself in the
right place at exactly the right time
and takes his innocuous looks
The Hell I aint dead
1229, Sunday,
18 1. 15
1800, Monday, 19 1.
15 Martin Luther Kings observed birthday
Emma
Lazarus The New Colossus etched at the feet of The Statue of
Liberty
Humphrey Bogarts sensational
line from Casablanca
